Rituparna, Prosenjit in Kolkata Metro’s awareness campaign

Ahead of Durga Puja, Bengal’s biggest festival, Metro Railway, Kolkata, has come up with an awareness campaign to control the festive rush. Several prominent faces from the film industry are part of it, including Prosenjit Chatterjee, Rituparna Sengupta, Srijit Mukherji, Ustad Rashid Khan and Anirban Bhattacharya. The videos will be played across 24 Metro stations to make commuters aware of the rules and regulations. Talking about the initiative, Indrani Banerjee, chief public relations officer, Metro Railway, told us, “We have started an awareness drive for the Metro commuters. There are many who don’t follow the dos and don’ts. Some board Metros at the last minute, others try to force open the doors after they have closed. Also, we want to convey a few messages to people — let people alight first before you board, don’t run on escalators, hold the child’s hand tight if you are taking the escalator, don’t talk on the mobile phone as you take the escalator, use the emergency button in case of dire need et al. When prominent faces communicate these, they become more acceptable for people.” Earlier, actors Sabyasachi Chakrabarty and Abir Chatterjee had taken part in such awareness campaigns run by the Metro. Indrani said the footfall goes up during Puja and Metro authorities are gearing up to manage the rush. “On a weekday, the average passenger count is 7 lakh. During Puja, it goes up manifold. Last year, there was a record footfall of 9.11 lakh during Puja,” she added. Prosenjit said he’s happy to be part of such an initiative. “I’m very proud of Metro; it’s an important part of the city. I remember it started operating in Kolkata when Satyajit babu (Ray) was still alive. As a responsible citizen, I have been part of awareness drives for Indian Railways, income tax et al, but I did this after long. The safety of commuters is of utmost importance and I am just doing my bit to make them aware,” he said. While Prosenjit, Srijit and Anirban have already shot for it, Rituparna will do so soon. The actress told us, “I am really excited about this campaign as this will make people aware. I used to regularly avail the Metro during my college days. It’s an important transport for Kolkatans and everyone should be doing their best to avoid accidents.” Rituparna said the film that changed her life, Rituparno Ghosh’s Dahan, was shot outside Tollygunge Metro station and she is happy to be part of projects that can bring about a change in people’s lives. “I was approached by Ashoke Viswanathan, director of the project and I readily agreed. To have a safe Puja, we all need some discipline. Hope this campaign reaches out to as many people as possible,” she added. While Viswanathan directed most actors, Prosenjit was directed by Srijit.